His decision could jeopardize what Republican leaders say is their best chance for their first U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas since Reconstruction. Huckabee was the front-runner in the race.

Tucker, a Democrat whose term expires in January 1999, was convicted Tuesday of conspiracy and fraud in the Whitewater case and promptly announced he would resign by July 15.

Separately, Tucker's office issued a statement Thursday night saying he needs a liver transplant. He has suffered from ulcerative colitis, a progressive gastro-intestinal ailment, and has been an outpatient at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., for years.

Huckabee, a one-time Baptist minister who grew up in Hope, President Clinton's birthplace, captured the lieutenant governor's office in a special election in 1993, becoming the only Republican elected statewide in Arkansas.

Huckabee was the lone GOP candidate bidding to succeed Sen. David Pryor, who decided not to seek a fourth term.

James McDougal, also convicted Tuesday, said on Thursday he may ask Clinton for a pardon. But he also hinted he might be open to a deal with prosecutors.

McDougal said he had turned down a previous offer of immunity to help prosecutors and was not actively seeking any kind of bargain now.

McDougal called it a "forlorn hope" to think an upcoming appeal of the convictions to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals would be overturned. He said, "They're all Republican judges appointed by Republican presidents."